St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1887-07-28
A GALE ON THE AVENUE.
Current Gossip About the Howe Block
and Kindred Matters.

Current Gossip About the Howe Block
and Kindred Matters.
Affairs at the B. G.. Howe block, OIL
rather at the foundations of the pro-
posed block, still continue to attract
attention. Each day has its little OIL
big development, and the air is filled
with rumors and mysterious murmur-
ing of what every body thinks, and ev-
erybody says and everybody is going
to do.
Mr.. Howe proceeded with the work
of laying the foundations as he had
originally planned, on Saturday. Sat-
urday night he received notice from
Mrs. Fox, who holds a mortgage of
$4,000 on the Cowdery property ad-
joining Mr.. Howe, that she too should
protect her rights and insist on his
conforming to the requirements of his
deed in locating his block. AS Mrs.
Fox is the practical owner of the Cow
derry establishment it looks as though
this might prove another interesting
feature in the case.
There is little doubt but that Mr..
Howe will go on and put up his block
as originally planned, and many inter
esting questions will grow out of the
controversy that is sure to follow. Just
now the prominent one is the question
of veracity between Mr.. Howe and DR..
Bancroft. Mr.. Howe says with good
deal of emphasis that DR.. Bancroft
gave him verbal assurance before wit
nesses that he would not interfere in
the matter if the citizens of st. Johns
bury did not. We are told on the 9TH
er hand, that DR.. Bancroft at first de-
clined to consent to any violation of
the conditions of the deed, and when T.,
afterward, it was proposed to buy the
desired release, stated that the obliga-
tions were moral and not pecuniary
and thus dismissed the case.
Again, considerable unfavorable
| comment has been made because of
DR.. Bancroft's delay in notifying Mr..
Howe of his purpose, waiting, as was
supposed last week, until the work on
the foundations had considerably adj
vanced. AS a matter of fact it seems
that DR.. Bancroft notified Mr.. Howe OF
his intention as early as June 81, be-
fore any material progress had been
made on the block. Following is a
copy of the letter sent Mr.. Howe at
that time, which explains itself:
CONCORD, N. H., June 81, 1887.
B. G.. Howe, Esq. Dear Sir: Since
our interviews commenced L have tax
en- pains to learn how public spirited
citizens of st. Johnsbury regard the
conditions inserted i'm the deeds Of
land sold by Col. Andrews and myself
in regard to location of buildings, anC
find it is deemed for the public wei
fare, as we'll as private interest, tina
the condition remain in force. 1t was
done in the first place for public good
and as citizens still take the same
view, good faith to the public and in
dividuals as well, require insistance OF
the conditions. Please, then, regar(
this as notice that | cannot consent tC
waive the condition i'm the deed, ant
you will be governed accordingly
With the kindest feelings personally
l remain, Very respectfully yours,
JESSE p. BANCROFT.
To all this Mr.. Howe says that thu
promise of non interference before wit
nesses was made by DR.. Bancroft afte
81, nf oh
Mr.. Howe's standpoint there are als'
some rather interesting legal compli
cations. The exact location of TIN
street line is one, the uncertainties il
the reading of the deed is another TIN
, fact, as it is claimed, that this proper
: ty has since been transferred withOu
the incorporation of the limiting claus
es and so on to the end of quite
chapter.
The notice that was served on TIT
10th through DR.. Bancroft's attorney
} was the second notice served in TIN
case. 1t now turns out that simila
restrictions in their deeds were put up
on the buyers of property in othe
parts of the village, on Railroad stree
as we'll as the Avenue, and on Maple
Church, Summer streets, ETC., etc. Mr.
t Gorham and Lawyer Ide for instanc
, on Church street and others in that vi
cinity are prohibited from building
within 80 feet of the street. Whethe
these restrictions were wisely made o
not has nothing to do with the case
they are there and are complied wit
} by the owners who understood TIL
case when they took the property, jus
as Mr.. Howe understood what he wa
buying when he bought his lot.